A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa Presidential Campaign Committee, Senator Felix Oboro, in a surprise move, on Friday decamped to opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), a move that has further polarised the PDP in the state.

Senator Oboro, former Nigeria ambassador to Venezuela, was supposed to be a member of the presidential campaign committee that were sworn in by Governor Seriake Dickson, but he was conspicuously absent.

At the formal welcoming of the Senator who was a founding father of Bayelsa State, the APC state leader, Chief Timipre Sylva cried that, with leading political leaders from the state like Oboro leaving the PDP in droves, the PDP was gradually heading for collapse.

Sylva who was once again ushered to the state capital amidst jubilations by Bayelsans, lamented that besides insecurity that was pervading the country, the level of unemployment and poverty was increasing.
He insisted that the nation was in dire straight, only serious minded people were needed to pilot the affairs of the country.

“At a time like this, we need serious men and women at the helm of national affairs. That is why we need Gen. Buhari to fix the country.”

Oboro, one of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State lamented that the last national and state assembly selection exercises in the PDP destroyed the cohesion of the party throughout the country.

Advancing reasons for his quitting the PDP, Oboro, who was the pioneer Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government at the inception of democratic rule in the state before he resigned his appointment for personal reasons said: "since Dr. Jonathan became President and leader of the PDP nationwide, there has never been any genuine congress in any part of the PDP states to elect candidates to represent the party in any election."

He said though the selection of persons as candidates had been the norm in the place of nomination congresses in the state, "the last national and state assembly selection exercises have destroyed the cohesion of the party throughout the country."

His words: "The problem of our country now is corruption, insecurity and economic downturn. Everybody's concern is who among our political leaders particularly Gen Buhari and President Jonathan who are the flag bearers of the two major parties, has the credentials to wipe out the above vices. The answer from 90 per cent of the states is Gen Buhari.

"Under President Jonathan, even a simple thing like internal democracy in his party had been destroyed because he too ascended the governorship position through unholy harmonisation and not democracy".

"As for corruption, insecurity and economic downturn, Jonathan's six years as President is the cause of these problems the country is talking about.
Ironically Jonathan himself agrees that these are real problems of the country, when he is still at the helm of affairs.

"I would like to appeal to my Ijaw people in Bayelsa State to understand the clear handwriting on the wall and we should all educate our people to tow the popular reasonable line.

"Our people must join the mainstream and we should not allow our state to be ostracised. Dr Jonathan has no regard for Ijaw people. He has not shown any pride of being an Ijaw man. The little dividend of democracy he had brought to the state is for his community, Otuoke.

"The only way to peaceful change now is for all Ijaw people to obtain their permanent voters card and cast their votes. We should do everything possible to avoid our youths going back to the creeks. After all, some of our leaders are not appreciating the sacrifices of our youths.

"Otherwise how can President Jonathan publicly express joy that Henry Okah- an Ijaw man from Amassoma is languishing in a South African prison because MEND attempted to "assassinate" him- an allegation no true Ijaw man will believe.

"President Jonathan made his allegation in the opening of his campaign in Lagos. If the President says MEND did not support him does he mean he became president on his personal merit?

"The blood Ijaw youths shed to attract the attention of other Nigerians to consider Dr. Jonathan from our state to be President is not appreciated by the President.

"Since he was imposed on the people of Bayelsa to be governor by persons outside the Ijaw tribe, President Jonathan's loyalty is to the few persons that imposed him. President Jonathan does not see any reason to apologise to the people of Bayelsa State for his neglect of the state.

"Therefore any vote for him by Bayelsans is a wasted vote as he can never appreciate us, even in the unlikely event that he wins the presidential election on the 14th of February 2015.

"In view of the above reasons, I do not see any rational ground being in PDP even though I was one of those instrumental in positioning his luck from Deputy Governor to President. Therefore, I have decided to declare for the APC and work with reasonable politicians to effect a change of leadership in our country."